Have ya heard?! Pittsburgh is always adding new food & drink concepts & 2024 is starting out with a BANG. From new spots in town, to existing businesses expanding, to nationwide spots landing in Pittsburgh – I have the scoop! These are some of the places that are new to the Burgh or are coming soon…
KuJiRa: All You Can Eat Japanese Restaurant
OPEN NOW: Can I get a BLESS UP because an incredible all-you-can-eat Japanese restaurant has come to Shadyside! KuJira is a newly opened eatery located in the old Shadyside location of The Yard off of Walnut Street. When I tell you this spot HITS, I am not playing. You have three options when dining at KuJira – order a la carte, choose one of the all-you-can-eat experiences, or choose o-makase. The appeal of KuJira is def the all you can eat experiences (unique to Pittsburgh) so I would choose one of those. The first tier is the Pacific Experience // $27.99, second tier is the Tokyo Experience // $37.99, and top tier is the Ryukyu Experience // $110 (2 people). Each tier has special additions as you level up. To see the specifics, check out their full menu here!
Our group of four went with the Pacific Experience because it covers A LOT of food options & gave us what we were looking for. We ordered edamame, spicy tuna bites, house green salads with ginger dressing, miso soup, a shrimp tempura roll, a fire island roll, two Godzilla rolls, a pink lady roll & finished with some strawberry ice cream for dessert. Everything was such great quality I was SHOOK. Next time I’m def gonna snag an order of the chicken katzu as well. With tax, it was $32/person + tip & our guy Nate was a fabulous waiter. The hot green tea was flowing which made me a happy gal. Food came out quick & in several rounds as we ordered them. Be sure to make a reservation for KuJira because they are busy busy!
Solera Wine Co.
COMING SOON: A new wine shop & bar is coming to Upper Lawrenceville in the near future… Solera Wine Co. plans to make global wines accessible to our little city in an approachable way. They want to focus on the actual wine, not just high end labels so they will have an array of wines from regions & producers that may not be as well known to the public, but hey isn’t that how you expand your palette?! The duo that is launching this new wine concept in Lawrenceville is a fire combo of Chef Aaron Gottesman & Sommelier Tyler Borne. The Solera Wine Co. Instagram has been launched & updates are soon to come!
Fet-Fisk
OPEN NOW: Join me in celebrating the official opening of Fet-Fisk’s brick-and-mortar restaurant. Known across the Pittsburgh food scene for their Nordic culinary influences, Fet-Fisk was only able to be experienced through pop-ups & at the Bloomfield Farmers Market. That changes NOW! With the opening of their location on the corner of Liberty & South Mathilda in Bloomfield (across from West Penn Hospital), you can now experience Fet-Fisk in a full-service sit down space. With dazzling cocktails, flavorful menu creations & Nordic flair, Fet-Fisk is somewhere you want to visit.
Head Chef Nik Forsberg creates nothing short of a masterpiece proven by his advancement to the semi-finalist round of the 2023 James Beard Foundation Award best chef nominations. I mean being nominated for this prestigious award without event having a brick-and-mortar??? You KNOW Chef Nik Forsberg is doing something right. My dining experience was top-tier in taste & service. While having an upscale menu, the environment is extremely welcoming & unpretentious – something you won’t always find. Reservations can be limited so keep an eye out for last minute cancellations or plan ahead to dine here.
Novo Asian Food Hall
OPEN NOW: The long awaited Novo Asian Food Hall is open in the Strip District Terminal as of 3/1!! An Instagram page & website have officially been created to follow along with updates. As an Asian food FIEND, I cannot wait to try a little bit of everything here. This space features seven local Asian eateries, a central bar with sake & other spirits, plus stunning murals & artwork by students at Carnegie Mellon. The list of concepts is the following: Sumi’s Cakery, Teachana, Korea Garden 2, Kung Fu Chicken, Tac Lac Vien, Mola & Lolo’s Kusina! With the selection efforts being lead by Mike Chen of Everyday Noodles & Alex Tang of Mola, there is NO DOUBT this spot is going to flourish! Be prepared, certain days & times of the week they will have a line out the door. This spot is popular!
Shake Shack
COMING SOON: Ok so if you’ve never heard of Shake Shack you just might live under a rock…JK but let’s be real. This burger joint fave is a must for me anytime I’m on a layover in an airport with a Shake Shack LOL. Stretching across the nation and even in Mexico, Shake Shack is finally landing in Pittsburgh with not one but TWO locations coming to the city! The Strip District Terminal will be the location of the first Shake Shack in the Burgh & is set to open on MONDAY MAY 20TH!! THIS IS NOT A DRILL. The second location will be looking to open in 2025 in the new Meridian complex that has begun construction in the lot of the old Giant Eagle between Shadyside & East Liberty. Fingers crossed we will be able to order a ShackBurger & Crinkle Cut Cheese Fries ASAP.
Lawrence Hall
OPEN NOW: Food hall style dining has been all the rage in Pittsburgh. From Federal Galley to City Kitchen to the PA Market, you can’t go wrong with a variety of restaurant options to please the variety of tastebuds in your friend group. Lawrence Hall, located on the 46th block of Butler Street, aims to become the next hot dining hall spot.
They have announced on their Instagram (@lawrencehallpgh) that there will be four unique food concepts, a wrap around mezzanine, bar & ice cream scoop shop. The first of the concepts has been announced & is WILD. Massachusetts-born, LOADED, is the first official eatery partner at Lawrence Hall. LOADED will feature Korean corn dogs, gourmet smashburgers, fried chicken sammies & some seriously awesome shareables like their Nashville bonuts…..literally DROOLING. The ice cream scoop shop is a name known by many Pittsburghers….Leona’s Ice Cream! This will be the first ever scoop shop for Leona’s & I cannot wait.
Another restaurant has been announced as of 1/25 & it is one of my FAVORITES & Southside staple, La Palapa! As of 2/16 the third concept has been announced, Cuddy’s Soul Food! This will be the second location for this concept run by cousins Charles & Reggie, but their first dine in location. Expect classic comfort food and modern takes on authentic favorites from this duo like ribs, mac & cheese, etc. The final food concept has been announced as of 2/19. TOMA is a concept that will feature modern Italian fare with recipes handed down through generations. Finely crafted meats, pastas, focaccia pizzas & more will fill this delicious menu that comes from the same chefs that are bringing us LOADED.
OTARU
OPEN NOW: We LOVE a luxury sushi concept here, ya feel? This new Mount Washington restaurant is serving up elevated sushi & other Japanese cuisine that both looks stunning & is made of premium ingredients. Focusing on sushi, hand rolls & gin, OTARU will be a hit for those looking for a new way to enjoy the Mountain Washington views of Pittsburgh. There are plenty of classic upscale restaurants atop the hill, but I imagine OTARU is going to sneak its way into the list of go-to spots for celebrations of all sorts.
The OTARU menu features hot & cold appetizers, hand rolls, nigiri, sashimi, hot dishes & dessert – not to mention their Otarukase menu, their take on omakase. With these different options you can create whatever culinary journey you please! OTARU is definitely at the top of my list for spots to visit.
Barcelona Wine Bar
OPEN NOW: The long wait is over! I can’t tell you how many times I have passed by the now home of Barcelona Wine Bar in the Cultural District downtown waiting for it to open. As soon as I saw that orange alcohol permit sign go up with Barcelona Wine Bar written on it, I was INVESTED. A popular wine bar in other places like Washington DC, Massachusetts, Connecticut & even our neighboring city to the east, Philly, Barcelona Wine Bar offers a robust wine list & tapas menu. Inspired by Mediterranean, Spanish & South American influences, Barcelona Wine Bar is a great spot for a girls night, date, post work drinks, pre-show sips & more.
The Pittsburgh wine list is 20 pages long, so I think it’s safe to say they will have something you’ll love. Wine is served by the glass & by the bottle depending on your selection. Price points also vary. Their full dining menu as well as select cocktails & beer can be found on the menu here. I cannot wait to visit & sip on some Albariño & Loire Valley Chenin Blanc, both recommendations from my fabulous friend & wine enthusiast, Camila (@camila.uncorked on Instagram). Barcelona Wine Bar Pittsburgh opens at 4pm daily and closes at 11pm Sunday-Wednesday, but stays open until midnight Thursday-Saturday. Reservations are available!
Mechanic Coffee Co. On Ellsworth
OPEN NOW: A beloved Verona coffee shop has opened a second location in Shadyside on Ellsworth Avenue – Mechanic Coffee Co.! I have been a fan of Mechanic since I first visited in 2021 & am SO excited that they are expanding to the vacant space that was previously occupied by Round Table Coffee. Having lived in the suburbs east of the city, Verona was a convenient spot to stop by, but since moving to Lawrenceville I haven’t gotten my Mechanic Coffee fix in a while. I am PUMPED to have a location closer to me because Mechanic has the best dirty chai I’ve ever had, hands down. They roast their own beans & have amazing seasonal specials as well as simple black coffee. This spot is def one you’ll want to check out! They are open daily from 7am-4pm & have indoor seating.
Whiskey B’s Bar & Restaurant
OPEN NOW: Burgers, sandos, salads & entrees are among the classic eats that grace the Whiskey B’s menu. Taking over the location of the previous location of Alchemy Bar + Kitchen in Market Square, the owners have cooked up this fresh concept. More geared towards casual bites & as you can imagine, whiskey, their cocktail menu boasts 4 styles of an old fashion, 4 highballs, 4 Manhattans & a few cocktails crafted with other spirits. For bites, think gourmet casual. The list of burgers & sandwiches is INSANE. The Fire Burger is def on my list to try made with fried shishito pepper, slaw, hot pepper cheese, sriracha, mayo & lettuce. A close second is the Lo Key Burger made with grilled pineapple, jalapeño, cheddar & bbq.
During my visit I had the pork bao buns to start & the house cut fries & Lo Key burger for my meal. I’m not a big arugula gal so I got my burger without that & the rest was amazing. The Korean bbq sauce really took it over the top in the best way. It also was great to go alongside the bao buns. For my drink I chose the Charlie Brown Old Fashion with brown butter & maple….WOW. I forgot how great an old fashion pairs with a burger. Def will be back to try more burgers & cocktails. Monday-Friday from 4-6pm they have happy hour where you can snag an $8 classic old fashion & $5 bar bites.
Golden Gai
COMING SOON: MAY 28TH!!! We have finally received word that Golden Gai with open phase 1 on May 28th, take out sushi! You may have seen the signs if you frequent Bakery Square, but if not I’m here to tell you about Golden Gai. This Japanese restaurant is the newest concept from the Richard DeShantz Restaurant Group & is set to be a stunner. As someone who absolutely adores Gi Jin, another Japanese concept by Richard DeShantz located Downtown, I am so excited to see the modern & chic items on Golden Gai’s menu come to life. There is no official opening date for dine in yet, but they are still dropping hints about what we can expect from their restaurant experience.
As I said, Pittsburgh is constantly adding new fun restaurant concepts & bars so follow me on Instagram at @the412franimal for the latest & greatest of the Burgh!
The 412 Franimal 